MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Edgewood College baseball team shook off a shutout in the first game to defeat Augsburg College for their first win of the season. The Eagles dropped game one of a late doubleheader at the Metrodome 8-0, before bouncing back for a 6-4 victory in the second game. The games marked the Eagles final appearance in the Metrodome before it's torn down next winter.
Edgewood College (1-3) jumped out front in the nightcap with three runs in the first inning. Freshman Andrew Lauritzen opened the game with a triple down the left field line and scored one batter later on an RBI single from Alex Jaskulski. After Jaskulski stole second base, Jake Zadradrove him home with a double. Zadra eventually scored on an RBI groundout from Marc Ostrowski.
Augsburg responded to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third inning, chasing Eagle starter Taylor Hillmann in favor ofAndy Swanson. Swanson would eventually pitch 3.2 innings and earn the victory in his first collegiate appearance.
Edgewood College tied the game in the fourth on an Eric Curtis squeeze bunt that scored Jared Raupp from third base. The Eagles gained the lead in the sixth on Lauritzen's RBI groundout, and tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on Raupp's sacrifice fly.
The Eagles still had to sweat out the bottom of the seventh inning against the Augsburg College (1-1) however. Dan Hoppelcame on for the Eagles in relief of Swanson, but the Auggies loaded the bases with one out on a pair of singles and a walk. Swanson gathered himself to strike out Gordon Kappers and coaxed a ground ball out of pinch hitter Abe Welckle to end the game. The game marked the first save of Hoppel's Edgewood College career.
At the plate, Zadra and Raupp both went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Both of Zadra's hits were doubles. Jaskulski also had two hits and a run batted in. The 10 hits for the Eagles marked their highest total of the four-game weekend.
In the opening game, Augsburg blew open a 1-0 contest with a huge six-run third inning. The Eagles collected two hits in the first inning and after a Brad Clark double, moved him to third base in the second inning, but that was as close as the Eagles came to scoring. Edgewood College had five hits in the game with Clark and Cody Digre recording doubles. Tony Ales started the game for the Eagles and took the loss, going 2.1 innings and surrendering five earned runs. Cody Pfeifer,Nate Averill and Hoppel closed out the game, allowing just one more earned run over the final 4.2 innings.
Edgewood College will depart on their annual southern trip this week. The Eagles will face NCAA Division II program Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn. on their way to the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. The Eagles will play eight games in Florida before the long bus trip returns home to Madison.